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Thousands throng Bengal’s Belur Math as Durga Puja spirit peaks (Lead)
Kolkata, Oct 17 (IANS) Thousands of devotees from across the country and abroad gathered at Belur Math, the global headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission, to witness the ritual of the worship of a pre-pubescent girl as a goddess, with the Durga Puja fervour reaching a peak on Mahashtami in West Bengal on Wednesday.
A feel-good ambience prevailed across the state as devotees dressed in their best offered ‘anjali’ (floral offerings) to the goddess amid beats of ‘dhak’ or drums.
As the warm day metamorphosed into a soothing evening, the city virtually turned into the Garden of Eden, where happiness and merriment reigned. Neons, halogens, twinklers and lights of all hues shone bright, drawing youngsters, the middle-aged and the elderly who poured onto the streets in lakhs to go marquee-hopping across the metropolis as well as in nearby and far-flung districts.
On Mahashtami (eighth lunar day), the rituals began in the morning with Kumari Puja to celebrate the spirit of womanhood in Howrah district’s Belur Math.
Kumari Puja was started by Swami Vivekananda in 1901 at the Math to underline the social status and importance of women.
The ritual starts from dawn, when after ablution in the holy waters of the Hoogly river, the ‘Kumari’ is wrapped in a red sari, adorned with floral ornaments and given a ‘sindur’ (vermillion) mark on her forehead.
She sits before goddess Durga’s idol on a decorated chair as priests chant hymns, thereby creating an enchanting atmosphere.
After the puja, the divinity of the goddess descends into the Kumari, said a priest.
Following the almanac, Mahashtami formally came to an end in the afternoon, and Mahanavami (ninth lunar day) began with Sandhi Puja held at their confluence.
As per Hindu mythology, goddess Durga killed Chando and Mundo — two ‘asuras’ or demons at the confluence (sandhi) of the two days. The goddess is worshipped as the undefeated divine force with lotuses and offered her favourite food items.
Meanwhile, the Santoshpur Trikone Park marquee in south Kolkata drew mammoth crowds with its theme artistically depicting tales from the Ramayana and other Hindu mythological texts through the puppet dance of Andhra Pradesh.
Another big ticket community puja organised by the Naktala Udayan Sangha has been an eye-catcher for its boldness in bucking tradition. Modern aesthetics was at play as none of the idols carried weapons, but wore masks.
On the other hand, long queues could be seen outside the cinema halls and multiplexes as some chose to watch the films of their favourite actors.
The five-day festival is considered the biggest event in this part of the world when even newspapers don’t hit the streets and roads are choked with devotees and revellers throughout the day and night.
According to Hindu mythology, goddess Durga, accompanied by her four children — Ganesh, Kartik, Lakshmi and Saraswati — descends on earth every year to visit her parents to fight evil. This is the occasion that the puja celebrates.
Durga, the slayer of demon Mahishasur, comes astride her mount lion and wields an array of weapons in her 10 hands in symbolic representation of Shakti, or woman power.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
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